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The Races of Ultheles
Ultheles has a number of humanoid races that have governed the world. __TOC__ The Tribes of Men Mankind is, accordinging to Ulthelian scholars, divided into two sections; the Civilized Tribes and the Uncivilized Tribes. The Civilized Tribes are tribes that served the Elves and Dragons during the Wars of Dominion and where thus genetically and socially altered to suit the purposes of their Overlords from the Great Races. Their number include the Olthans, the Maroths, the Arkiis, the Egrans and the Aiedonians. The Uncivilized Tribes meanwhile consist of the tribes that remained uninvolved in the Wars of Dominion, and have as such not developed the more "civilized" customs of the civilized tribes, including religion, nation states, writing etc. There is an almost uncountable amount of tribes belonging to this section, but some of the major ones include the Shadowriders, the Silverhawks, the Starspeakers, the Moonguards and the Graywinds, to name a few. The Aiedonian Tribe Counted as one of the civilized clans, born out of the original clan Olthans and the Uncivilized Clan the Shadowriders. Dominates the northern continent of Athelorn and is considered a culture founded on the aspects of war. Aiedonians tend to be of light complexion with blonde, red or light brown hair. Their faces are often thin with high cheekbones and they are on the shorter side. They tend to have rather poor beardgrowth, which they nonetheless take good care of. Aiedonians come from a mostly nomadic culture, but through conquest in primarily their Aiedonian Empire, Aiedonians also live in traditional urban and feudal systems within the bounds of their empire. Some Aiedonians also live in Earedh and Haulthenn, but most stick to Aiedon or the provinces it controls. Aiedonians tend to have an innate sense of their own inherent superiority fuelled by their martial prowess, but as students of war the Aiedonians readily adopt all tools and tactics they encounter in order to better honor their All-Father and Braedon the Conqueror. Famous Aiedonians include the Empire’s founder, the deified Braedon the Conqueror, from whom the imperial bloodlines trace descent, but also many other Emperors such as Dagor Battleborn, Aiheron the Swift, Shae the Just, Ilnedh Truthspeaker, Aerick the Keeper, Maerdon the Brave, and many others. There are also more reviled characters to hold the Dragon Seat, such as Ogred the limp, Koiran the Frail, and many others. The bloody and divisive nature of Aiedonian politics has also created as many scandals as heroes, but most Emperors and officials tend to at least have a tenuous claim to military prowess and glory. Str: +1 Dex: +2 Skill proficiencies: Riding, Handle Animals. Aiedonian battletraining: Shortbow, longsword Languages: Common, Aiedonian Brave: You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Common Classes: Fighter, Ranger, Paladin, Rogue The Egran Tribe The Egrans are one of the civilized clans belonging to the Dragon faction. The Egrans are shorter than their other human siblings, but are generally considered tougher and sturdier, tempered by the untamed wilds of primarily Earedh. In the hilltops and along the mountain ranges the grudge-bearing Egrans live their lives attempting to fulfill their forefather’s oath from the Wars of Liberation to avenge themselves on the dragons that enslaved and used them. So important are the oath of their forefathers that the greatest taboo within the Egranic clan that those that do not attempt to fulfill their oath are branded oathbreakers and face exile, if not mutilation and death. Their forefathers also had access to magic of power still unparalleled in Ultheles, which causes a terrible curse to befall Egrans who fail to uphold their oath. Egrans tend to be shorter and stockier than most other tribes of men with a fairly light complexion. Their har colors range from brown to red to blonde and they tend to have blue or green eyes. Famous Egrans include the rebellious N’daer Bloodchest who lead the first attempt to free the Egranic province of Earedh from Aiedonian rule. Though N’daer was ultimately unsuccessful, and suffered grievously for his treason, his story did inspire what would eventually be called the Third Egranic Uprising a century later. This second attempt at liberation from Aiedonian oppression would be successful, and since Earedh and the Egrans have been able to maintain sovereignty and have pursued their vengeance upon the Dragons. Another famous Egran is Cynwrig Spearshaker, the rebel who freed Cwum Dhinas and by extension Haulthenn from Aiedonian occupation. He is in many ways viewed as the progenitor of the thennish Ashenburne line, as his marriage to the princess Edhelmire Ashenburne to this day reign as royalty over the city state of Cwum Dhinas. Con: +2 Str: +1 Weapon proficiency: Battleaxe, handaxe Toughness: Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level. Oathbound: Egrans places a great importance on their oaths and grudges, and keep track of oathbreakers relentlessly. It is said that those who break their oaths, or the oaths of their forebears, will have the markings of the oath breaker form on their bodies. Should an Egranic character break a sacred vow she has made or a vow a forebear to the character has made, black markings will form on the character. This will give the Egran disadvantage on all social checks made with another Egran and -2 to Charisma until the curse has been lifted. Common Classes: '''Druid, Bard, Barbarian, Ranger, Fighter, Sorcerer The Arkii Tribe The Arrkiis are one of the civilized clans belonging to the Dragon faction. The Arkiis initially acted as spies, scouts, craftsmen and auxiliary to the Egrans as part of their role in the Dragon faction. The Arrkiis, going up against the formidable Olthans and determined Maroths, couldn’t rely on the strength of the Egrans, and were thus forced to be smarter than their opponents to be effective. Today, this is displayed in the Arrkiis ancient merchant kingdom of Aellkouar, parts of which still stand in the Thousand Isles and the Kouaran Peninsula where highly defensible territories are fortified by artillery, forts and traps which has caused Aellkouar to be one of very few kingdoms to not fall to the Aiedonian onslaught and the Merchant King/Queen still reigns supreme by the will of the council. The Arrkiiis are of medium height with hair of dark shades and green, blue or brown eyes. Their complexion tends to vary between olive skinned and dark skinned with strong jaws. Arkiis can be found in the southern Aiedonian provinces, Aellkouar, Haulthenn and throughout the Thousand Isles. Int: +1 Dex: +1 Char: +1 '''Skill proficiency: you gain proficiency with 2 skills of your choice. Cunning: You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic. Common Classes: Rogue, Cleric, Wizard, Fighter, Bard The Maroth Tribe The Maroths are one of the civilized clans belonging to the Elven faction. The Maroths are a proud and highly zealous tribe who, after the Liberation Wars, found themselves spiritually uprooted as they questioned the veracity of the Elven religion they had been enforced. This caused a rift to be formed within the tribe, leading to half the Maroths maintaining the Elven faith in the Nameless, and the other half claiming to the Namers, as their distrust in the Elves lead them to take the diametrically opposite positions. Much in this way, the Maroth tribe tends to be very black and white in their approach, and very determined once a course is chosen. They also tend to be extremely disciplined and many of the greatest masters of any single thing tend to be from the Maroth tribe. The Maroths are concentrated in the North East of Ultheles in their two kingdoms dedicated to either of the belief systems they hold to. They can also be found throughout the Aiedonian Empire and in Haulthenn. Where ever the Maroths live, they tend to hold to their own groups and readily segregate themselves. Their appearance is easily the most varied of the civilized clans, as they are of all skin tones, have all hair colors etc. However, they do tend to be very tall and thin, almost gaunt, which is an effect of their regular fasting. They are also known to be skilled philosophers and poets, as well as theological scholars. Con: +1 Str: +1 Wis: +1 Expertise: Choose one skill in which you are proficient. Whenever you use this skill, you may double your proficiency bonus. This ability does not stack with the Rogue ability of the same name. Skill: You have proficiency in one skill of your choice. Marothian Armor Proficiency: Due to the relentless focus of the Maroth tribe on Warfare and in particular defensive warfare, you gain proficiency in Light and Medium Armor. Common Classes: Figher, Monk, Cleric, Paladin, Ranger The Olthan Tribe Of the Civilized Clans, the Olthans have reached almost a mythical status, in no small part due to Aiedonian mythologization. As part of the Elven faction during the War of Dominion, the Olthans were viewed favorably by the elves, and were taught a great deal of magic and craftsmanship and were thus sculpted to be leaders and supporters to the Marothan elite soldiers. It is thus from the Olthans that most scriptures on magic and its applications originate, and most ancient magical artifacts crafted by man is crafted by Olthan hands. Today, few Olthan bloodlines still live, as most of the clan blended with the Shadowriders to create the Aiedonians following the Battle of Green where the Green Dragon Flight was destroyed. A few may still be found in Haulthenn and the Sunset Isle, usually in positions of power or involved in the Mystic Arts. +1 Int, +1 Char, +1 Wis Olthan bloodline: You gain 1 cantrip from the wizard spell list. Olthan craftsmanship: You gain advantage on all rolls to craft and to craft magic items. Relentless Endurance: When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest. Common Classes: Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Wizard The Uncivilized Tribes As the Civilized Clans were forged from the early tribes of men, they were augmented and altered to suit their whim. In so doing, they did not enslave all tribes of men, and a substantial amount of mankind were left to their own devices. Today, those tribes live predominantly outside “Civilized society” in the wilderness and beyond natural barriers. Tribes such as the Dragonspeakers have taken to venerating the Dragon Flights as gods and serve them in protecting their dragon masters from the Egran assault, while others, such as the Star Speakers, have created city states that today are a part of Haulthenn. Their cultures and societies are as varied as they are, spreading throughout the world. Some worship the Totem Gods of the Dikenvar, Meredar or other natural spirits. Some have been convinced by the various gods of the Civilized Clans, and some have foresworn belief altogether. What tends to unite the uncivilized clans is that their concept of civilization and society is much less constrained when compared to the Civilized Clans, which has led to the fact that no society among them is alike another. Use the standard array of abilities for Humans. Common Classes: Bard, Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock The Elves Once, in the time before the Great Exodus, the elves lived in a world beyond the veil of the Dread Mist as the uncontested masters blessed by their Gods, the Dinir, the Nameless. In this world, which they called Nirion, they studied the mystic arts and sciences, crafted majestic art and sculpted their world to their will. So powerful were their magic and so sophisticated their science that they were able to suspend the natural order so that death and aging all but seized. Then came the Cataclysm and through a series of battles against the forces of the Abyss and its Dreadlord masters their world was torn asunder. Only through great effort and ingenuity, the great Archmagi of Elvenkind lead by the Mist Shaper, aided by their Sun God the Golden King, managed to tear the veil asunder and escape certain death and destruction to a world not yet touched by the Shadow. There, the survivors sought to rebuild what they had lost and raise Lorénàro anew. In these strange new lands, the Elves met the primitive tribes of men with whom they’d occasionally trade, but mostly they kept to themselves as they found these beings beneath them and of little threat or consequence. Eventually, the elves ran into another faction that would shake their world to the core – the Dragon Flights. The gravity of this threat to their existence cannot be overestimated, as the dragons have ever been aligned with the Namers, by Elvenkind dubbed the Dreadlords, and their power rivalled their own. They battled for untold centuries in the early stage of the War of Dominion, as man toiled and grew in both number and intellect. The elves now greatly diminished in numbers, as the dragons were too, turned to man to fuel their conflict. They adopted tribes of men and molded them to their will. Some were gifted with their most effective methods of combat and mercilessly drilled to execute this flawlessly. These men would become the civilized clan called the Maroths. Others, they would use in constructing their engines of war, build cities and defenses, craft weapons and even learn the basics of the mystic arts of their forebears. These were the Olthans, master crafters of the early Liberation period. They would take these men and throw them into combat against the dragons, but the dragons would create their own pawns. Over time, the creations of the Elves would realize their own ability and just how weak and tentative the Elves’ grip on power was. Having spent countless generations worth of blood in their service, the revolt was inevitable. The Elves only realized this mistake far too late, for while they were winning the war slowly, they had given far too much knowledge to the men in so doing. The civilized clans now united against them, the numerically inferior elves were forced to cede more and more territory as the angered tribes pushed them back. Today, elves are a rarity in the central parts of Ultheles, as they have been pushed to the fringes of both continents. They now live in remote islands, mountains, forests and jungles were the numerical superiority of their foe can be more readily negated by their superior defenses, skill and experience. As they are continually hunted by Egrans and other tribes, some Elven settlements have come to rely heavily on uncivilized clans as buffers, accepting their worship of them as some form of Meredar. As time passes, the Elves continue to build their forces as they seek to one day reinstate the natural order of their people Elves are tall creatures of generally fair complexion, although the elves of the southern jungles have adopted a bronze-tone which is almost metallic in nature. The elves, although they have forgotten much of their former knowledge, still retain a profound control of their genome and can alter their species as they deem necessary. Due to this, they have been able to adapt to a strong control of the Nexus, which has tied them to its pull, which has given them a great many traits. Culturally, the elves have names, but these are never truly used. Their real names are only ever known by a handful of close relatives, and virtually all elves use descriptors as names. One of the most famous of these is the Red Sword, Lou-i-Kvair, or the Mist Shaper, both essential figures in Elven history surrounding the Great Exodus. Choose one: +2 Intelligence +1 Charisma Or +2 Dexterity +1 Wisdom Elven trance: '''In pursuit of their perfect form, elves have no need to sleep. Instead, they enter into a trance to allow their body to recuperate while their mind flows with the nexus. This trance lasts for 8 hours. Spellcasters may use this time to memorize spells, if applicable. '''Immortality: '''Elves are functionally immortal, but as they age, their trances last a longer and longer periodof time. Eventually, they go into the Deep Sleep which is a state of trance from which they cannot be woken. Rarely do elves that enter the Deep Sleep ever wake again, but those who do usually does so only briefly and emerge with great power. The Mist Shaper is one of those few elves who did so, and she gave her life to open to portal that lead the elves to Ultheles. The elves fear death and revere those who enter the Deep Sleep, who are guarded in the Hall of Dreamers. Eventually, elves that enter the Deep Sleep will dissipate and become one with the nexus, but this process usually take at least a millennia. Before entering the Deep Sleep, elves usually live for up to 1000-1500 years. '''Elven Wisdom: '''You have proficiency in one skill of your choice: Arcana, Investigation or Nature. '''Darkvision: '''Elves have Dark Vision. '''Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and magic can’t put you to sleep. Elven Weapon Proficiency: You are proficient with your choice of either Longbows or Longswords. Common Classes: Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard The Half-Breeds Half-Elf Same as core. Half-Elves are fairly uncommon in Ultheles, as Elves exist only in the fringes of society. They are moderately more common in Haulthenn, as several uncivilized clans have recurrent interactions with elvenkind. Still, elven distrust and arrogance ensures that these interactions are fairly uncommon. Half-Elves tend to be forced to hide their parentage, as their elven heritage may cause rifts due to the calamitous past of the clans, while they will be looked down upon by elves. Most half-elves do well for themselves, however, due to their skill in navigating different societies in which they are forced to conceal their true selves. The most famous living half-elf would be the Arch Magi of the Whispering Halls, Kullervo Half-Elven, who even has a number of supporters within Aiedon, as his actions along with Shae the Just ended the Mage’s War. Following the bloody affair that was the Retribution Campaign about 1-200 years ago, during which several Elven factions came out of hiding to attempt to drive back the human onslaught, several elven bloodlines were intermingled throughout Aiedon and Haulthenn. Common Classes: Bard, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard Half-Dikenvar Sometimes something terrible happens. During times of the Great Shadow, the Dikenvar of Ultheles multiply in disproportionate numbers and grow restless. This is when they descend upon the continents driven by savage, primal instincts. This is when destructive forces such as Roc of the Witch Wind gain their names and rise to Totem status. During these periods, it is not too uncommon that Half-Dikenvar children are left in its wake. These children are often despised in the civilized clans, as they are viewed as a perversion of nature. In some cases, there are few tell-tale signs of Shadow-Blood, but often there are grisly reminders of their true parentage such as snouts, claws, strange markings that glow in moonlight, or other. In the uncivilized clans, some venerate the Dikenvar, and the product of such intermingling may be viewed as a blessing from their totem gods. In general, Half-Dikenvar har far more common among the uncivilized clans, whether or not a Great Shadow has come in recent times or not. For game purposes, you may use the Half-Orc’s values. You may also customize this race into virtually any other race you are interested in playing, as Dikenvar are incredibly diverse. Common Classes: Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock Category:Race Category:Introduction